How to archive a Google Hangouts conversation

If you periodically clean your PC or mobile devices, it is reasonable to archive old conversations on Hangouts — those which were sent or received from people which you are no longer communicating with. After the conversation is archived, it is no longer displayed in the chatting window. However, if you archived a chain of messages by mistake, you can bring it back from the Settings. Another option is deleting the conversation — it is more radical, because there is no way to bring it back afterwards. In this article, we will explain how to archive a conversation without any extensive efforts on Google Hangouts web-service, Chrome extension, Gmail Inbox or mobile app.

How to archive or delete a conversation on Hangouts web-service?

You can manage the conversations from any desktop computer or laptop by referencing to the web-service:

• Go to hangouts.google.com and log in to the account by selecting a username from the list in the upper-right corner. If the Google profile you need is not accessible in the list, click the “Add account” button and proceed with the authentication procedure.

  

• Choose the corresponding conversation you want to archive and move the cursor on the right from the messages chain. When the context menu with three dots appears, click it and choose “Archive” from the suggestions list. If you are going to delete the chat without the option of bringing it back later, choose “Delete” instead.

  

Alternate solution:

• Click the chain of messages to get access to the chatting form.

  

• When the chat is open, click the gear icon in the header section of the pop-up form to display the options.

  

• Within the options, click “Archive conversation”, and we’ve got what we’ve expected: the chat is hidden. The deletion is also available.

  

How to archive a conversation from Hangouts within the Gmail interface?

The principle of archiving the messaging chain from the Gmail service is absolutely the same, so take a look at the description applicable to the Hangouts web-service and repeat the same procedure within Gmail. Both primary and alternate solutions can be used.

How to archive a chain of messages within the Hangouts Chrome extension?

Let’s find out how to start the archiving procedure in the Chrome extension of the Hangouts messaging service:

• Run the Hangouts add-on by clicking the extension icon in the toolbar. If you have encountered difficulties during the setting up of the extension in Chrome browser, have a look at the “Hangouts for macOS” article. The first section is a step-by-step guide on installing and setting up the Chrome extension within any desktop operating system (Windows, Linux or macOS).

  

• In the plugin window, move the cursor to the right from the outdated conversation and click the Menu button (the one with three vertical dots).

  

• Select “Archive conversation” or “Delete” from the pop-up options list, depending on your wish to bring back the chat to the visible area later.

  

Alternate solution:

• Choose the Hangouts chat you want to archive and click “More” in the top-right corner of the extension.

  

• Select the “Options” from the pop-up menu displayed.

  

• Now, click “Archive conversation” — now your chosen chat is archived and is not accessible in the visible area of the app. By the way, you also gain a chance to delete a chat without the opportunity to roll back the action afterwards.

  

How to archive a conversation within the Hangouts application on Android?

Android ecosystem is perfectly adopted to all user demands and needs that concern usability and practical approaches. Archiving a set of chat messages is not an exception. Here’s what you are suggested to do in order to make a chat hidden from eyes:

• Run the Hangouts mobile tool on Android mobile OS.
• Select the chat from the list which you have decide to archive and tap it once in order to open the contents of the conversation.

  

• Click “More” in the top-right corner.

  

• Choose “Options” from the pop-up list — you will be redirected to the Options window.

  

• Now tap “Archive conversation” — as a result, the chat will be archived. You can also delete a block of messages forever without a chance to bring the conversation back on the screen.

  

How to archive a message chain within Hangouts on iPhone or iPad?

On iOS platform the principle of archiving chats is quite similar to Android’s:

• Run the Hangouts app.
• Choose the set of messages you want to archive by tapping it once in the chats list.

  

• When the chat is opened, open the “More” menu by tapping three horizontal dots above on the right.

  

• Choose “Options”.

  

• Now tap “Archive conversation”

  

Note: if you are not going to roll back the archiving action, you can choose to delete the chat instead. In this case, the set of messages will be removed forever on all of your devices.

As you can see, the approaches are pretty similar and common on all of the operating systems and gadgets. The only difference is the visual interface of the working area of the Hangouts app. Despite the minor peculiarities of the process, it’s absolutely simple and easy to move your chat to the archive section available from the menu of the Hangouts communication service on any of your devices.